PD - OpheliaxJohn FF Summary PI. EN VERSION

While John was still weeping on a stool, a young woman was watching him again,like she’d done quite a few times before. Like Vanessa, Malcolm, the Nuns and other volunteers, she also worked here in deep hope to do something good. But in contrast to the work of Miss Ives, she didn't just go there sometimes but as often as possible - almost daily. And yet the motivations of this unknown woman were quite the same as those of Miss Ives - an attempt to find peace with yourself and the world, forgiveness for herself and most of all for all her sins, but also to help those people which weren't so blessed like she was. Touched by the tears of the man, right into her heart, which had piqued her interest almost 2 month before, a time when the tunnels happened to be have been at a higher capacity, she decided to finally speak to him. Something she didn't dare to do the whole time before, when she saw him with Miss Ives. She only dared to listen quietly to his frothy and soft poems and verses secretly.

But there was also his appearance which made her curious. Never ever before she had seen a man like him. A man who was so mysterious or someone other’s viewed as a freak as they might view her as well. So she spoke her very first words to that man, with all her courage and a wool blanket in her hands, she made herself approach him. She made him cringe, when he saw the unfamiliar woman whose face he could not fully see for the gum shield she wore, like Vanessa once used to wear. But this was exactly the thing she didn't want to happen, so she slapped herself imaginary against her forehead, dropped down her actual plan she made up some seconds before and stepped in front of the black haired man and knelt.

From this position she was able to see this strange man close up for the very first time. She could see that not just his very white skin was different from others, but also that he had black lips and other abnormalities. Immediately she saw his scars on his face, her gaze was caught on the scars on the left side of his face from her view and then his extraordinarily unique eyes. She’d never seen anyone that had the same eye-colour as he did, which fascinated her even more.With a strong beating heart, she begged his pardon and that it wasn't her purpose to startle  him. But she simply couldn't bear to see him to sit there that broken. John was so taken aback that he couldn’t say a word or move. He simply stared at her with a slightly opened mouth. He didn't understand - any of it! Especially not when so many more words of explanations from this woman left her lips like a wild waterfall. He was wondering as to why this woman hadn't any fear or shyness of him. In fact it was quite the opposite!

The curly-haired woman kindly pushed the blanket onto his lap and grabbed his hands, again without any kind of fear of their unnaturally cold state. That she, even if it was just out of her good will, stepped a bit much too far over the austerity of one's privacy, she didn’t realize the first time and again. But during this, she admitted to him that she would so love to help, to do something good for him, no matter what, he had just to let her know, but he needed to stop crying. She can't stand seeing him suffering that way any more. But the pale man remains in his confused position. At least as the young woman suddenly realised, what she was doing towards this man in front of her, without any permission. She totally forgot about her ever so gracious education. Now he moved a bit. So she dismissed his hands again, stood up, lowered her head and begged him pardon once again for her rudeness, before she finally followed the rules of the etiquette properly, even going so far as to drop an elegant curtsy.

"Would you be so kind, to tell me your Name?" -

"My Name is John Clare!" -

"I'm enchanted Mr. Clare! My Name is Ophelia Broderick!" (Quote)

And even if her first name made him think of one of Shakespeare's pieces and how extraordinary it was to hear it in the real world, he was still more than confused about the situation he had found himself in. His wonderment grew and yet he was still unable to see the motives of the young woman. Except for Miss Ives, no one had ever really and honestly been kind to him without fooling him or using him for their own gain. And certainly no one had wanted him as a company. But she did? She wanted to help him... 
So why she wanted all of this and why it was her of all things, stayed a mystery to him for now. Through his eyes, she must have had to understand, to see who and most all WHAT was infront of her?! What he was?! Why she didn't care of that? There was still the question for the reason why, while he still avoided to look at her directly, also because of his still ruffled mood. So he admitted to Miss Broderick while putting the blanket aside, thanking her politely but still very quietly for her efforts, that he didn’t need the blanket any longer because he was going to leave - to leave London forever, though he did appreciate her nice gesture.

A clear but anything but nice surprise for Ophelia who hadn't planned on that being his response! So her own thoughts immediately turned to panic. Her heart beat more intensely than it already was and her mouth reacted also much faster than her mind could. Because she instantly told him that this was exceedingly regrettable and that she would have loved to get to know him better, after she had observed him several times. Together with his books, his poetry and together with Miss Ives. More sceptical than he already was before, John reiterated that he’d prefer to go away and to leave this very strange, but ever eager, Miss Broderick behind in the darkness of the tunnels. Ophelia regretted and 'cursed' her much to open kind, which seemed to bring her more damage than to be useful in the end.  

At the harbour instead, John's 'good fortune' should left him once again, because the ship he wanted to leave London couldn't get out to sea. To less sailors were found. And the other sailors that were working on the vessel were too sick from the spell of cold weather. So they had to delay the date for a whole week. Like this John was forced to return to the only place where he was just one outcast under many others and where someone like him wouldn't catches anyone’s eye. But his return would make someone else very very happy on the next evening! Ophelia was on her actual break from the food and drink distribution, taking care of the littlest ones there in the frigid arches. The children which were sickened by Cholera too, had huge deficits to keep something nourishingly inside themselves, not to mention to find a bit sunshine in their dark existence. Most of them wouldn't survive this Winter, Ophelia knew that much to well and it hurts her heart deeply. Why God, her Lord refused to help, she couldn't say. But it was for sure, that it was most the fault of their so ' civilized' society these days. People helped each other much less!

The rich preferred to stay under her kind and ceded the poor to themselves. She knew whom she pushed against the pillories but though everyone got his destiny and determinant. Like she had too. Even if she hadn't find it between and through all her past sins. The 'Collector Place' for the nourishment of the children wasn't far away from John's camp/bed. And even if she knew that he wasn't there anymore after yesterday, she had to take a look on his lonely bed, there in the little niche under the tunnel arch.

But together with her immediately returning and more than surprised happiness, the young temporary help had to realise and see that her unique Mr. John Clare came finally back after all! A circumstance which induced her to go and speak again with him, in order to make sure to let him know how happy she is that he did return. But like before, John was still confused and didn't understand the happiness of Miss Broderick, even if he to admit inside himself, that he was in way 'happy' too to see her again, even if he had no idea why he felt this way. Her first name, at least, was something he remembered from the last night he spoke to her very well. She had such a warm and friendly spirited demeanor, like he never saw and experienced with any other human being. Maybe with Vincent once. He sired from a great euphory and candour right from the beginning, even if his motivation were totally different.

Ophelia on the contrary, tried to get John for a little conversation but tried also to take care of his physical comforts. Because she was pretty sure he had not eaten until this moment, she asked him if he would mind if she would have a seat and spend him some company. Still unsure why, John knew that he couldn't refused the request and wish of this woman, who seemed to work her like Miss Ives did once again in all his politeness. A wonderful auspiciousness for Ophelia because like the two of them finally got to talk to each other, like she always wished for. With raisins Scones and a warm smile, which was even seen through her covered lips, even Frankenstein's creature couldn't resist anymore than to admit to himself, that he had begun to find this woman very fascinating. He couldn't deny to be peculiarly enchanted by her beautiful eyes, like those of a fawn, which didn't miss to sparkle even in this rare light of this place.

But especially when Ophelia started to tell him how much she used to love poetry herself too. Keats, Worthwoth, John Clare  of course and most of all the great master William Shakespeare himself. John was able to admit finally that this woman had aroused his interest in connecting with another human, something that he thought had been long lost. But not only this but also for...
The total lightheartedness with which Ophelia used to treat him, the joy she gave to him when he told her that he was forced to wait a whole week more before he could leave finally London. She definitely won the sympathy of the older one more and more. How did he deserve so much kindness from Miss Broderick? He wasn't able to say but he didn't ask after it for the moment either.

Ophelia therefore did and could do much more than that. So she did ask him to be allowed to see and visit him, in this last week, as much as possible. And even if she had to work somewhere else tomorrow, she would come in the evening. Again she 'overruns' him with all her attention which he still couldn't comprehend. Though he agreed to her request. In fact he didn't want to wait himself until tomorrow to resume philosophising together with this very kind woman over all his beloved lyricist of this world!

Clearly relieved that she didn't received a rejection, Ophelia, in all her light-headedness, grabbed his hands again like she did the day prior. But this time she did notice how very cold they were and it set her mind to wander. Her facial expression concerned him and  brought bad memories from the past ,which made him uncertain again. So he almost risked to take his hands back, swallowed hardly and hoped that she wouldn't want to ask him uncomfortable questions. But she pressed his hands right in this moment a bit softer, lifted them up and led them to her lips. Ophelia tried with her warm breath to banish this nasty chill from his fingers. But she also revealed to him that she got the same problem with her feet, always cold as ice cubes.

John couldn't believe what he was seeing, what he felt in this moment. More than clear he felt her warm breath, more than clear and even through the fabric he felt her tender lips on his skin. Nobody else before had ever done this to him. So the he had to admit again, that this also warmed up his heart a bit, which had started to beat a little bit faster than before. But even Ophelia's heart was beating faster, even though she looked so peaceful and calm. She looked like she had totally forgotten where they were and who could see them.

Unfortunately it was also time for her to go home. Also because her brother Aron came to pick her up to make sure she will be home safety, like he did every evening when she was working here in the Cholera quarters.